More than 1,100 people from around the world joined the twelfth edition of RELX SDG Inspiration Day: Countdown for the Environment: Climate Action to Advance the SDGs, held virtually on 4 June 2026. Bringing together participants from across business, academia, civil society, government and international organisations, the annual event provided a platform to explore solutions, share insights and accelerate progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This year's event focused on one of the defining challenges and opportunity of our time: how climate action can act as a catalyst for progress across the SDGs. From health and food security to innovation, justice, data and youth leadership, speakers examined the interconnected nature of today's global challenges and highlighted the opportunities that emerge when sectors work together to drive meaningful change.
Across the day, attendees heard from many of the world's leading voices on climate action and the SDGs, including Ban Ki-moon, 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Christiana Figueres, former Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and one of the architects of the Paris Agreement. Conversations also featured experts and innovators from across science, business, media, philanthropy and civil society, exploring topics ranging from climate and health to sustainable events, female entrepreneurship, creativity, technology and the power of trusted information.
Read on to discover the highlights from RELX SDG Inspiration Day 2026.
A GLOBAL EVENT
1100+
Attendees
40+
Speakers
100+
Countries
Participants joined from 100+ Countries and territories across the globe, introducing themselves from Cameroon, Laos, Réunion Island, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Madagascar, South Africa, Pakistan, South Sudan, Canada, USA, UK, India and many more.
Opening Plenary
A Call for Collaboration, Innovation and Stubborn Optimism
RELX SDG Inspiration Day 2026 was opened by event host Dr Tim Gregory nuclear scientist, broadcaster and author of Going Nuclear: How the Atom Will Save the World, alongside welcoming remarks from Dr Márcia Balisciano, Chief Sustainability Officer and Global Head of Corporate Responsibility at RELX and Nick Luff, Chief Financial Officer, RELX.
Next in a powerful call to action, Christiana Figueres, former Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and one of the architects of the landmark Paris Agreement, acknowledged the urgency of the climate crisis while offering a message of hope, determination and what she describes as "stubborn optimism."
Reflecting on the latest climate science, she reminded participants that the world is currently on track to exceed 1.5°C of warming within the next decade. However, rather than viewing this as a reason for despair, she challenged attendees to see it as a catalyst for action.
In support of the day, Elsevier published a free-to-access Special Collection of book chapters and journal articles from across environmental science, sustainable energy, agriculture, human health, social science, and other areas, highlighting how research, innovation, and collaboration can help us to close the climate action gap.
"Climate action is not a burden... it is the very foundation of a more resilient, more equitable future."
- Christiana Figueres
Watch the Opening Plenary of RELX SDG Inspiration Day 2026
AI and Climate
In conversation: Antonia Gawel, Global Director of Sustainability Advocacy & Partnerships, Google and Bob Burgoyne, Associate Director and Data Centre Lead, The Carbon Trust
In this fascinating discussion from RELX SDG Inspiration Day 2026, Antonia Gawel, Global Director of Sustainability Advocacy & Partnerships at Google, joins Bob Burgoyne, Associate Director and Data Centre Lead at The Carbon Trust, to explore the risks, rewards and real-world applications of AI in tackling climate change.
"Every day I feel like I'm seeing new applications in new and interesting ways that AI is helping to tackle climate change."
The conversation highlights how AI is already being deployed to support the energy transition, from optimising electricity demand and improving renewable energy deployment to identifying rooftop solar potential through innovative tools such as Google's Solar API. The speakers also examine how AI is helping society adapt to climate impacts, showcasing unexpected examples including the use of AI and robotics to combat mosquito-borne diseases. By helping identify and manage disease-carrying mosquito populations, AI-supported programmes have achieved dramatic reductions in mosquito populations and dengue cases, demonstrating the potential of technology to improve both environmental and public health outcomes.
Watch AI and Climate: Risk, Rewards and Responsible Innovation
Climate and Health
In conversation: Justin Webb, Journalist & BBC Broadcaster and Dr Richard Horton, Editor in Chief, The Lancet
In a thought-provoking conversation, Dr Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief of The Lancet, joined Justin Webb, BBC journalist and broadcaster, to explore the profound and inseparable links between climate change and human health. Reflecting on both the scale of the climate crisis and humanity's capacity for innovation, Dr Horton highlighted how advances in science and medicine, from immunotherapy to breakthrough diabetes treatments, demonstrate our ability to solve seemingly impossible challenges when knowledge, investment and determination align.
"That generosity of spirit, that wish to be part of a global community and cooperating together, I think that's what will see us through the next generation."
While acknowledging the growing health impacts of climate change and the challenges of building collective action in an increasingly fragmented world, the discussion ended on a powerful note of optimism. Dr Horton expressed his belief that the next generation will play a pivotal role in driving progress, pointing to the growing environmental awareness, global outlook and collaborative spirit of young people today. The conversation underscored that while climate change remains one of humanity's greatest challenges, hope lies in science, evidence, innovation and the determination of a generation committed to building a more sustainable future.
Watch Climate and Health: The Crisis We Can't Separate
Panel Discussions
Watch Decoding Climate Risk: Data, Law and the Path to Resilience
Decoding Climate Risk: Data, Law and the Path to Resilience
How can organisations navigate an increasingly complex climate risk landscape while identifying opportunities for growth and resilience? In this insightful discussion, Justin Worland, Senior Correspondent at TIME, was joined by Simone Davidson, Head of LexisPSL Environment, Laura Clarke, CEO of ClientEarth, and Caroline Elliot-Grey, Senior Product Manager for Insurance, UK and Ireland at LexisNexis Risk Solutions, to explore the evolving intersection of climate risk, regulation, data and business strategy. From physical climate impacts and legal liability to investor expectations and reputation, the panel highlighted why climate risk can no longer be treated as a future concern. Equally compelling was their message that organisations taking decisive action today can gain a significant competitive advantage. Packed with practical insights and real-world examples, this session offers a valuable roadmap for leaders looking to turn climate challenges into opportunities for resilience and long-term success.
Watch Female Founders Forum: From Ideas to Impact
Female Founders Forum: Turning Climate Innovation into Impact
What does it take to transform bold ideas into climate solutions that can change the world? In this inspiring Female Founders Forum, Elizabeth Course, Founder of DISCOM, was joined by Dr Jessica Jacob, Founder & CEO of SURECO & Partners, Diana Mbogo, Founder & Managing Director of Millennium Engineers Enterprises, Guðný Nielsen, Founder & CEO of Katla Carbon, and Gabrielle Walker, Chief Scientist and Co-Founder of CUR8. Together, they shared candid insights from their entrepreneurial journeys, exploring the challenges and opportunities of building purpose-driven businesses that are tackling climate change across sectors and geographies.
Watch Can Live Events Go Net Zero?
Can Live Events Go Net Zero?
From global music tours and festivals to major exhibitions and convention centres, live events have the power to bring people together, but can they do so sustainably? In this engaging conversation, Michael Sheldrick, Co-Founder and Chief Policy, Impact and Government Affairs Officer at Global Citizen, was joined by Joyce Leveston, CEO of the Javits Convention Center, Hugh Jones, CEO of RX, and Luke Howell, Sustainability Lead for Coldplay and Glastonbury Festival, to explore what it will take to reduce the environmental footprint of the events industry. The discussion highlighted the importance of measurement, accountability and collaboration, with panellists sharing practical examples of how organisations can embed sustainability into decision-making and drive continuous improvement.
Watch Generation Climate: Young Leaders Driving Action for the SDGs
Generation Climate: Young Leaders Driving Action for the SDGs
In Generation Climate: Young Leaders Driving Action for the SDGs, host Anirudh Sistla, 2026 Chairperson of the Sustainability Commission at Junior Chamber International (JCI), was joined by Megi Marku, Global Focal Point for YOUNGO, Timothy Sitanya, Global Focal Point for YOUNGO, and Clover Hogan, climate activist and founder of Force of Nature. The panel explored how young people are already driving climate action through advocacy, innovation and community leadership, while calling for stronger integration of youth perspectives into decision-making at all levels. The discussion highlighted the need to bridge the gap between global climate commitments and local realities, leaving audiences with a powerful message of hope: that a generation of informed, engaged and determined young leaders is already helping to shape a more sustainable and equitable future.
Art, Creativity & the Power to Inspire Action
Facts and data are essential to understanding the climate crisis, but on their own, they are rarely enough to inspire the scale of action required. Throughout RELX SDG Inspiration Day 2026, speakers highlighted the unique role of creativity in translating complex challenges into human stories, emotions and experiences that move people to act.
This theme ran throughout the day. In the panel Art and Action: The Role of Creativity in Addressing the Climate Challenge, host Esther Stanhope, communications strategist and broadcaster, was joined by Emily Renshaw-Smith, Managing Director of Open Planet Studios, and Sarah Kadouch-Chevalier, Senior Climate Campaigns Manager at Project Everyone, to explore how creativity can help unlock climate action. The discussion examined the unique ability of film, storytelling, art and cultural campaigns to translate complex environmental issues into experiences that resonate emotionally with audiences, shifting mindsets and inspiring change in ways that data and policy alone often cannot.
Poetry, music and visual art featured throughout the programme as powerful reminders that climate action is not only a scientific, economic and political challenge, but also a deeply human one. Participants were inspired by the work of Kyung-ho Lee, the acclaimed South Korean artist whose striking environmental artworks invite audiences to reflect on humanity's relationship with nature, and by Magero, the award-winning poet, storyteller and environmental advocate, whose moving poetry gave voice to the lived realities of climate change and the importance of protecting both people and planet.
Watch Art and Action – The Role of Creativity in Addressing the Climate Challenge
Artist
Kyung-ho Lee
Kyung-ho Lee is a prominent media artist and cultural administrator. Living and working in France from 1987 to 2000, he established a highly original artistic lexicon rooted deeply in media and contemporary art. Following his return to South Korea, Lee has participated extensively in major international exhibitions nationwide, including Media City Seoul, the Gwangju Biennale, the Busan Sea Art Festival, the Changwon Sculpture Biennale, and the Suncheonman International Eco-Environmental Art Festival.
Spurred by deeply personal turning points—including undergoing heart surgery and the birth of his son—the artist profoundly deepened his creative exploration into climate change and ecological resilience. Currently, as an active member of the "Earth and People" forum community, he continues his practice of reflecting upon and reshaping the fundamental relationship between humanity and the Earth through the power of art.
Spoken Word Poet
Magero
Magero is an Award nominated poet/spoken word artist, workshop facilitator and co-founder of ‘The Brotherhood Creative Collective’.
Magero is a vivid storyteller who incorporates a fusion of poetry, music and acting within his artistry. Known for his intricate writing style and ability to misdirect audiences through manipulating their perception within his narrative, his work often includes unexpected plot twists.
Much of Magero’s work is based on his lived experiences and faith. He is a credited writer and performer as part of Ivan Blackstock’s ‘TRAPLORD’, winner of the 2023 Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production. In 2024 his debut play ‘He Said She Said’ toured schools across London and won the TYA Best Writing Award at the 2024 Offies.
Live Illustrator
Hannah Robinson
Adding a creative thread throughout the event, illustrator Hannah Robinson captured key insights, ideas and moments in real time, creating a live visual record of the day's discussions.
Financing the Future
Partnerships powering global climate action
In one of the event’s standout sessions, Dr Márcia Balisciano, Chief Sustainability Officer and Global Head of Corporate Responsibility at RELX, was joined by Ban Ki-moon, 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations and one of the architects of the Sustainable Development Goals and Paris Climate Agreement, alongside Erica Gerretsen, Director of DG INTPA's Directorate F at the European Commission.
Drawing on decades of global leadership, Ban Ki-moon delivered a powerful call for urgent climate action, reminding participants that "nature does not wait for us" and urging governments, businesses and citizens alike to raise their ambition in support of future generations. Erica Gerretsen highlighted the European Union’s leadership in climate finance and international cooperation, outlining how initiatives such as the Global Gateway are helping to mobilise investment, strengthen resilience and accelerate the transition to a sustainable future. Together, the speakers emphasised that climate action is not only an environmental imperative, but also a social, economic and security priority, requiring unprecedented collaboration across sectors, countries and generations. The conversation offered a compelling reminder that partnerships, investment and collective leadership will be essential to delivering both the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Watch Financing the Future: Partnerships Powering Global Climate Action
Perspectives on Climate Action
Throughout RELX SDG Inspiration Day 2026, we invited speakers and participants from around the world to reflect on a single question:
What is your hope for climate action over the next five years?
"My hope is that we finally discover the right language that unlocks millions of people, not hundreds and not thousands, but literally millions of ordinary individuals who have no idea exactly how much power they actually wield."
Susan Hooper
Co-founding director, Chapter Zero: The Directors’ Climate Forum
"My hope is that climate action becomes more visible, more practical, more trusted. Not because we hide the cost of climate action. We should be honest about them, but because we also show that climate action can and will improve the systems people depend on every day."
Professor Ioannis Ioannou
Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, London Business School
"My hope for the next five years is that philanthropy, especially in climate action, becomes bolder and more collaborative - funding longer term partnerships, co-designing solutions locally, and investing in the next generation of researchers across the global south."
Ylann Schemm
Executive Director
The Elsevier Foundation
SDG Partner & Customer Awards
Each year RELX celebrates four customers and partners that have made a significant, demonstrable contribution to one or more of the SDGs. Winners celebrated during RELX SDG Inspiration Day included:
- Women In Chemicals, nominated by LexisNexis Risk Solutions, is a global community dedicated to advancing gender equality across the chemicals industry. With members spanning the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, the organisation empowers women through mentorship, networking and leadership development opportunities. By promoting female role models, supporting inclusive workplace practices and addressing gender gaps in STEM and industrial sectors, Women In Chemicals contributes to SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and is helping create a more diverse and inclusive industry.
- Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University, nominated by Elsevier, is a globally recognised sustainability research and innovation hub. Bringing together scientists, policymakers and industry leaders, the laboratory tackles complex challenges including climate change, resource scarcity and sustainable development. Through interdisciplinary research, community partnerships and practical sustainability solutions, the laboratory advances multiple SDGs, particularly SDGs 4, 7, 11 and 13, while demonstrating how universities can serve as catalysts for transformative global change.
- International Bar Association (IBA), nominated by LexisNexis Legal & Professional, is a global network of legal professionals spanning more than 170 countries. Through its advocacy, research and convening power, the IBA promotes the rule of law, judicial independence, human rights and transparent governance worldwide. Its Human Rights Institute supports judges and lawyers under threat, monitors trials and advances access to justice, making a significant contribution to SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) and creating the legal foundations necessary for sustainable development.
- Canaoeste, nominated by RX, is a leading Brazilian association supporting sugarcane producers across western São Paulo. Through its SEMEIA programme, Canaoeste helps farmers adopt sustainable agricultural practices, improve productivity and strengthen environmental and social performance. By providing technical expertise, supporting regulatory compliance and enabling access to sustainability certifications and incentives, the organisation promotes responsible production, environmental stewardship and economic resilience, contributing to SDGs 2, 8, 12 and 13.
